Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot Summoned by Court in Alleged Phone-Tapping Case

The case was filed after reports of alleged phone-tapping emerged during infighting in the Rajasthan Congress between CM Gehlot and then deputy CM Sachin Pilot.  

(Photo: The Quint) 

Rajasthan Chief Minister (CM) Ashok Gehlot has been summoned by the Additional Sessions Court in Jaipur on the charge of alleged phone-tapping during infighting in the Rajasthan Congress in 2020.

Apart from Gehlot, notices have been sent to then chief whip Mahesh Joshi, former chief secretary Rajeeva Swarup, then director-general of police (DGP) Bhupendra Singh, home secretary Rohit Kumar Singh, additional director general Ashok Rathore, station house officer (SHO) Ravindra Kumar Bhuria, and officer on special duty (OSD) to the CM, Lokesh Sharma.

The case is scheduled to be heard by the court on 16 March.

Rajasthan Congress Phone-Tapping Scandal

The case was filed by advocate OP Solanki after the alleged phone-tapping scandal in Rajasthan came to the limelight during infighting between the Ashok Gehlot and the Sachin Pilot camps in the Rajasthan Congress.

Another case was filed in the Delhi crime branch after a complaint by Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat.

A number of audio clips had emerged of alleged conversations between Congress leaders and a man named Gajendra Singh when then Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot was leading a rebellion against Gehlot.

At the time, it was not clear whether Gajendra Singh was actually Union Minister Shekhawat or somebody else.

The conversations revolved around efforts to topple the Rajasthan Congress government led by Gehlot.

The CM's OSD Lokesh Sharma had also been interrogated by the crime branch, but he had denied all charges of phone-tapping.

The current summons has been issued on the basis of a revised petition filed by advocate Solanki.